Website & Blog of Jatan Mehta, a globally published & cited space writer. Read deep dives on global lunar and space exploration.
Craft launched from Luna, no tether can go farther, faster while being lighter Exploring more worlds with joy and curiosity hosting ideas, deploying empathy and even skepticism for humanity From the edge of a gravitational well they can push the discourse and shape its course All of these futures can
Before we begin, I’m thrilled to share that Open Lunar Foundation is continuing as a sponsor of my Moon Monday blog+newsletter for the sixth year! 🌕 Open Lunar is a US-based non-profit organization with a global team that develops bottom-up tools of lunar governance to enable
Moon Monday #286: China’s Chang’e 6 samples have helped scientists decipher enigmatic layers of the lunar farside, leaving a curious trail for future missions to build upon.
Moon Monday #285
* Why explore asteroids, comets, and other small worlds * When to worry about an asteroid hitting Earth * Psyche, exploring a metal world * Japan wants to sample Mars’ moon Phobos with its MMX mission * Weirdest types of moons in our Solar System Related: Articles on moons other than our Moon Like my
A curated page of resources to learn and share how countries worldwide have explored our stellar cosmic companion.
I’m very much a Moon person but I’ve written a bit about Mars over the years as well, highlighting a few key aspects about the red planet’s exploration which I thought aren’t discussed as much or in detail. NASA explores Mars * Looking back at Pathfinder as
Moon Monday #283: Some engineers and scientists are leading by example.
A contextualized overview of the world’s Moon exploration efforts.
Announcement before we begin: I’m excited to welcome PierSight as a returning sponsor of my independent space writing for another year! 🌙 Ahmedabad-based PierSight is building a constellation of SAR satellites equipped with AIS sensors for persistent, all-weather ocean studies and monitoring. With $8 million raised in funds,
Plus: What the agency’s planning in the lead up to safe Apollo astronaut landings teaches us about preparing for the next frontier this century.
Moon Monday #279: “Artemis updates inside”, like “intel inside”. All puns intended.
Indian Space Progress #39-40: How a multitude of causes slow down the pace of India’s launch vehicles, and what would it take for the country to achieve an optimum “hat-trick” state given its many needs and ambitions in space.
Moon Monday #278: A master list of organized, linked articles covering ISRO’s Chandrayaan lunar program, mission by mission.
Moon Monday #277: How quickly Blue flies New Glenn again, the timing and outcome of the first Mark 1 lander flight, and what NASA shares about the crewed Mark 2 are the key things to watch out for.
Moon Monday #276: NASA’s road to putting humans on the Moon through SpaceX Starship continues to face a receding sea of milestones to achieve.
The near-polar lunar surface and environment had never been measured in-situ before Chandrayaan 3 arrived. Now our understanding of it has been grounded in measurements just as we prepare to send a wave of Moon missions.
Artemis updates * Science communicator Hank Green made this interactive website of photos spread across the timeline of the Artemis II lunar mission and flyby. * Among the technological checkpoints passed by Artemis II, the NASA-MIT-developed optical laser communications terminal on the Orion spacecraft was successfully used to transmit and
* Why explore Venus * VERITAS, NASA’s Venus mapper * EnVision, Europe’s mission to Venus * ISRO’s plan to study Venus in unprecedented detail alongside NASA and ESA Related: Slightly different articles on Mars and missions to it Like my efforts to provide free resources for space communities worldwide? Kindly sponsor
The not-Moon-Monday edition. 🌝
Part 4 of India’s space launch crisis: Why India needs to launch Chandrayaan 4 in time to ensure maximum national and international benefits | Moon Monday #273 and Indian Space Progress #38
* Chandrayaan 4 will bring unique Moon materials—and maybe a giant scientific leap for India * The case for India and China to exchange lunar samples * Why India needs to launch Chandrayaan 4 in time to ensure maximum national and international benefits * Chandrayaan 5 LUPEX mission will drill for water on
* An overview of all Chandrayaan 3 science results * How Chandrayaan 3 contributed insights on our Moon’s origin and evolution * Results from Chandrayaan 3 thermal experiment benefit future missions eyeing lunar water * Chandrayaan 3 rover may (or may not) have stumbled upon the Moon’s mantle material * Chandrayaan 3 orbiter
* On Chandrayaan 2’s landing attempt failure * Overview of Chandrayaan 2, India’s first Moon landing attempt * Watching Chandrayaan 2 launch * Explainer: Why did it take so long to find the Chandrayaan 2 lander? * Chandrayaan 2, the orbiter to remember * India aims for the Moon again with launch of Chandrayaan
Let’s explore explore our Moon and its archival boon of Earth’s midnight and afternoon Let’s return return to the gray blemishes for its scientific promises and its technological wishes Let’s also preserve preserve Luna’s natural dents its phases and cultural crescents and the serene sights
Key developments to watch out for this year as both China and the US aim to land humans on the Moon by the end of this decade.
* ISRO’s Chandrayaan 2 orbiter has been creating the highest resolution map of the Moon * Lunar science results from Chandrayaan 2 * The sharpest lunar imager * How the Chandrayaan 2 orbiter is a Sun watcher at the Moon * The search for lunar water deepens * International collaboration and outlook: * ISRO has been
* Looking back at Chandrayaan 1 and forward to Artemis * How NASA and India discovered water on our Moon * Interviewing Chandrayaan 1’s Mission Director * How Chandrayaan 1 viewed a solar eclipse from the Moon * Tangent: Kids in South Korea and a Moon mission Like my efforts to provide free resources
An unfortunate breakdown of too many giant leaps of imagination. | Moon Monday #271
For me not thee, but still for humanity..
Tucked in a tiny timed capsule against its wonky, worldly windows mesmerized the momentary Moonfarers at sweeping sights of Selene Creased by craters and crowning peaks melts and mountains molded in weeks amid barrages of ballistically laid beads lingered the landscape of Luna What the world could view is impact
Thanks to our robotic explorers, and the great leveler that is the Internet, you too can “Copy, Moon joy.” | Moon Monday #270
Plus: A poetic ode to our exploration of Luna | Moon Monday #269
Original in Hindustani, as English transliteration and in देवनागरी, followed by its English translation (though not as lyrical): Antariksh ki pyaas Woh bachpan ki kitaabe jisne dikhaye sitaare aaj bhi yaad se nihaare Durbin ki drishṭi me jagmag falak aur yaano ki gati se graho ki jalak Kalpana
Part 3 of India’s space launch crisis | Indian Space Progress #37
Plus: NASA in final prep to launch Artemis II astronauts around Luna.
From landing system development to trajectory design and landing site selection to abort scenarios.
We can build cities on the Moon—but who will govern them? Amid a global lunar rush, will we land peaceful norms alongside our spacecraft? Last month SpaceX and its founder Elon Musk flipped their stance on the Moon from treating it as a distraction to positioning it as central
Plus: Parallel developments show how open access NASA is when the agency is at its best.
NASA is also borrowing the “manned” from Apollo while at it. | Moon Monday #264
Also, fun new guestbook for those who read till the end. 🌝
Plus NASA Artemis updates.
To understand the pride and perils of the PSLV is to understand India’s launch infrastructure and its risky commonalities | Indian Space Progress #35-36
Dear NASA, China’s space missions exist too. So do your own planetary science missions.
Moon Monday #260: Safety planning spans all phases and aspects of the crewed lunar mission, weaved into hardware, operations, and astronaut training. 🦺
Plus mission updates.
Does a no-nonsense approach to being an indie author work?
And sunset on a valuable resource.
Plus: Artemis and other updates, and articles on Japan’s lunar endeavors.
Plus mission updates.